SENATORS Leila De Lima and Juan Edgardo Angara filed separate resolutions seeking to honor the late National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose for his invaluable contributions to Philippine literature.

Jose died on January 6 while waiting for an angioplasty at the Makati Medical Center.

De Lima noted that it is right to honor Jose for shaping art and literature and inspiring generations of Filipino writers.

“F. Sionil Jose will live through the pages of his artistic pieces. The message of his literary works will continue to reverberate in society as a clear message that as long as there will be oppressors, there will be oppressed, and as long as social justice is not upheld, protected and fought for, the Filipino class struggle will persist,” she said.

Meanwhile, Angara called the late national artist as the “most prolific Philippine novelist.”

“Throughout his life he remained outspoken and incisive—though fundamentally patriotic—with his opinions about the country, and how it could be transformed for the better. Even in his advanced age, Jose worked to spark discussion and discourse on how the country could evolve and flourish,” Angara said.